


After The War

by talkaboutartassholes



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame Speculation, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, No Spoilers, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, mostly hurt tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 20:49:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkaboutartassholes/pseuds/talkaboutartassholes
Summary: “Wha’? Where are we?” Peter had that adorable crinkle between his eyebrows that he got when he was working hard at a problem. Tony had to laugh, he thought he’d never see that again.“We’re on a ship kiddo, about an hour from home, go back to sleep.” He started stroking his hand through Peter’s hair again and he watched as the motion seemed to send Peter’s whole body into relaxation.“Okay.” He was clearly fighting sleep, eyelids weighed down by an unknowable exhaustion. “You’ll protec’ me?”“Yeah, bud, I’ll protect you.”–or endgame is coming out in less then a month so if I want to get my version of post-endgame iron dad out there I should probably do it soon… like now.





	After The War

**Author's Note:**

> this is just a painful little endgame speculation thing i wrote, i don't know where this came from.
> 
> no spoilers, i know nothing

The ship was quiet. 

Everyone was either too exhausted or too in mourning for there to be any real celebration. 

They’d won.

It didn’t feel real. Well, at least not until he would look back and catch sight of Peter’s sleeping form. Then it felt all too real. Tony was up front with Carol, happy to be her co-pilot, but every time he would glance back and see that red/blue suit and those wild curls his heart would pang heavy.

He focused himself on flying. They were about two hours out from Earth and he was sure if he never stepped foot off her ground again, he’d be a happy man.

He must have glanced back one time too many because Carol caught his eye and nodded her head back towards the open area of the ship in a clear _go on_ motion.

He shook his head.

“I can handle up here. Go. He needs you.” Her voice was soft yet commanding. He appreciated that. 

Still, he couldn’t. Peter was safe, he was alive, that’s all Tony deserved, he didn’t have any claim to the kid. “He’s asleep, he’s fine.”

The way she looked at him was so kind but it didn’t carry pity. She seemed to understand, even if he didn’t. “Okay, then you need him. Go. I’ve got it I promise.”

He sighed. He knew if he went back there the emotions would be too much. It’d be too real. He was never good at handling his emotions.

“Go, Stark. Go be with your kid.” 

‘His kid’ what did he do to earn the honor of calling Peter his? Nothing. He just took, like he always does, saw something he wanted and didn’t take even a second to care about the consequences. And now Peter had to live with fear and trauma no teenager should know, especially not one so inherently Good.

And then he looked at her and he could feel his walls breaking down. Maybe he didn’t deserve Peter, but dammit if he didn’t just save the universe to bring him back, and that had to be worth something, right? 

He nodded, he didn’t trust his voice, and stood.

As he made his way back he tried not to pay attention to the empty seats, the faces that should be greeting him. He had to focus on Peter. He got him back. It was all he had asked for. And the universe, like the cruel mistress she was, granted him his one wish, not taking care to warn him of the cost. He wouldn’t have changed it though. The world needed Peter. (He needed Peter.)

There weren’t any beds on the ship, so Peter was laid out across a row of seats. For a moment Tony just stood over him, unsure what to do and not wanting to risk waking the boy. Finally he took a seat by Peter’s head, taking great care not to jostle him, he looked so peaceful. Tony could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest, he watched, keeping track of Peter’s breaths, timing his own to them.

Eventually he gave in to the want forming deep in his chest and reached down to brush an unsteady hand through Peter’s hair. He wasn’t sure where the urge came from, he just needed some proof that the boy in front of him was real and… and solid. He wasn’t going to fade away.

He brought his hand down to Peter’s neck, he could feel the soft thump of his heart and with every beat Tony’s walls crumbled a little bit more.

He sniffed. He hadn’t cried when they’d brought them back, he hadn’t cried when Peter’d clung to him for deal life, he hadn’t cried in joy or pain or relief. But now, here in the aftermath, as the universe settled, he cried. He cried as he thought of those who didn’t get to see their victory, he cried as thought all the people across the galaxies reuniting with their loved ones, and he cried as he looked at the boy he’d risked it all for. His tears were silent, even in his grief he couldn’t bare to disturb Peter.

As he wiped the last few stray tears away the body next to him started to wake. The movements were sleepy and slow but Peter rolled on his makeshift bed and blearily blinked his eyes open.

“Mis’er Stark?” His voice was thick with sleep and his eyes were searching the cabin confused.

“Hey bud, I’m right here.” Tony tapped his cheek, gently turning the boy’s head. He smiled despite the enormity of the emotions coursing through him

“Wha’? Where are we?” Peter had that adorable crinkle between his eyebrows that he got when he was working hard at a problem. Tony had to laugh, he thought he’d never see that again.

“We’re on a ship kiddo, about an hour from home, go back to sleep.” He started stroking his hand through Peter’s hair again and he watched as the motion seemed to send Peter’s whole body into relaxation.

“Okay.” He was clearly fighting sleep, eyelids weighed down by an unknowable exhaustion. “You’ll protec’ me?” 

“Yeah, bud, I’ll protect you.”

He could feel his eyes watering again as Peter snuggled closer to him, but he blinked back the tears as the boy settled in his lap, clinging to him as best he could in his sleepy state. Peter had always been so tactile and Tony had never known how to handle it. He’d never been able to tell Peter what he meant to him and he shied away from the boy’s touch so much. Did he even know what he was to Tony, how much he cared? Their upbringings had been so different and Tony’s iron heart was never allowed to love so openly. But Peter loved without fear, open and strong. And for now, for this moment, Tony let himself cling back. With one hand on Peter’s pulse and the other stroking his back, Tony let himself forget shouted words and hard hands. He’d never known if he was loved, but from this moment on, as long as he was allowed, he’d make sure Peter never questioned it. He’d be a guiding hand, a shoulder to cry on, a hug in comfort; whatever Peter need, whenever it was required.

He looked down at the boy whom he had claimed without mercy and realized for the first time, maybe Peter had claimed him too. “Love you, bud.” 

He felt his eyes slip close and sleep took him.

**Author's Note:**

> this is so different from anything else i've written but i hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> i was supposed to be writing peter meeting thor, where did this pain come from?? idk but leave me a comment if you'd like or you can come say hi on tumblr @ [tstarkapologist](https://tstarkapologist.tumblr.com/)


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